Carrots

[gixxerific]

So basically I should pull my carrots? They have only been in the ground about a month or so. Or should I let them go through the winter? You say the will be woody in the spring I don't want that.

To pull or not to pull. I can't bring myself to do it on my own but if you guy's think that would be best I will trust your opinions.

Thanks

[applestar]

I'm going to pile mulch (leaves/straw) on mine, secured with a floating cover, and leave them in the ground as long as there's no chance that the ground (and the carrots) doesn't freeze. There's a chance that mice might get to them first though (it's an experiment).

[gixxerific]

I'm going to pile mulch (leaves/straw) on mine, secured with a floating cover, and leave them in the ground as long as there's no chance that the ground (and the carrots) doesn't freeze. There's a chance that mice might get to them first though (it's an experiment).

So if I get you right, since you didn't say. You are leaving them in over winter until next spring? Or just until it super late in this season? When did you plant?

Sorry so many ?'s but I have never had good luck with carrots and want to find out what I'm doing wrong. I was trying this just to see what would come of it.

[builder0101]

I place cardboard over my Carrots and 6"-8" of mulch. I can harvest them all winter long as long as the ground is not frozen solid. Then when the ground begins to thaw I can get the rest. They are the sweetest as was said earlier. Not woody in my experience. I think the woodiness comes in the second season of this biennial. I never kept them into the second growing season.

Thanks,

Mike.

[NatGreeneVeg]

So basically I should pull my carrots? They have only been in the ground about a month or so. Or should I let them go through the winter? You say the will be woody in the spring I don't want that.

To pull or not to pull. I can't bring myself to do it on my own but if you guy's think that would be best I will trust your opinions.

Thanks

Let them stay in the ground and harvest all winter as you need some so that you don't have any left by spring.

[jal_ut]

So basically I should pull my carrots? They have only been in the ground about a month or so. Or should I let them go through the winter? You say the will be woody in the spring I don't want that.

You can leave them in the ground, however in your zone you had best provide some protection from the frost or they may freeze. If they freeze, you have lost them. They will be sweet and nice all winter, even in the spring, however when the tops start to grow, pull them all because they will send up flower spikes and get woody. I have kept them through winter where they grew, by covering with a couple inches of soil then straw or leaves to insulate them from the cold. The thing is they won't grow much larger this fall and in the spring they want to flower not grow larger roots.

This year I pulled all mine and put some in a pit. The reason for doing this is so I could till the garden. Otherwise, it is easy to protect them and let them stay until spring. digging some as needed all winter on nice days.

[pharmerphil]

Used to live about 80- miles north of You gixxerific and I covered with cardboard and mulched them 2 foot deep in straw...only one winter that was bad enough I couldn't pull carrots at Christmas...

[applestar]

Cardboard! Excellent tip. Thank you.

[gixxerific]

I'm going to leave them. I do have a bail of straw waiting for the compost I could use for insulation as well a a ton of leaves.

I went out the other day and noticed I had a couple that were doubles, I thought I thinned them good but guess not. I replanted them, they were teeny tiny little carrots. Kinda funny they were only about 1-2 inches long but looked just like a big ol carrot only shrunken down really small.

[pharmerphil]

You'll have some fine carrots mid winter